Our priest gave me a book yesterday 'The Saint of the Prisons' about Valeriu Gafencu, who was imprisoned under the Communists in Aiud and then Pitești (famous for the brainwashing experiments) before eventually dying in Târgu Ocna. I've only read the first couple of chapters so far but it's very interesting, particularly because it contains extracts from his own letters as well as testimonies from those who knew him in prison.

Our priest gave me a book yesterday 'The Saint of the Prisons' about Valeriu Gafencu, who was imprisoned under the Communists in Aiud and then Pitești (famous for the brainwashing experiments) before eventually dying in Târgu Ocna. I've only read the first couple of chapters so far but it's very interesting, particularly because it contains extracts from his own letters as well as testimonies from those who knew him in prison.

James

I read the Romanian version and I think it's quite good.

I'm currently reading How can we become better by Fr Teofil Paraian

It is good. I don't have the time to read as much as I'd like nowadays (kids!) but I've almost finished it. It's also pretty much convinced me that Valeriu Gafencu is a saint, even if he hasn't actually been glorified yet.

James

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We owe greater gratitude to those who humble us, wrong us, and douse us with venom, than to those who nurse us with honour and sweet words, or feed us with tasty food and confections, for bile is the best medicine for our soul. - Elder Paisios of Mount Athos

"I want you to see me naked and performing one or two dozen mad acts, which will take me less than half an hour, because if you have seen them with your own eyes, you can safely swear to any others you might wish to add." - Quijote

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“There is your brother, naked, crying, and you stand there confused over the choice of an attractive floor covering.”

Truthfully I wanted to play Halo this weekend with some people and I was waiting for another translation to come in the mail. So glad it was worth the wait, Dr. Lathrop has an awesome translation. Plenty of footnotes and extremely readable. Not quite the elegant prose Grossman tries so hard to reach on every sentence, but according to various sources this is more faithful, plus Lathrop is one of the preeminent Cerventine scholars.

It's getting to the point where I can hardly put down the book unless other things come up.

*SPOILER*The scene between don Fernando, Luscinda, Cardenio and Dorotea meeting and reconcilling, man that was just perfect. It's amazing I care about these characters, but was so happy about this. Hope nothing bad happens...*END SPOILER*

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“There is your brother, naked, crying, and you stand there confused over the choice of an attractive floor covering.”

Archbishop Romero, helped in this by Ignacio Ellacuria, analyzed idolatrywith greater theological precision and historical illustration." For Romero too,what makes idolatry possible lies in our capacity to absolutize what we have made,but he does not begin with this; he begins with a dynamic basic assertion, at oncetranscendental and historical: "idolatry offends God and destroys human beings,"12the second statement being a verification of the first.

The Internet is now the primary vehicle for recruitment and indoctrination. It is also a means for spreading sophisticated information about social psychology, hypnosis, and other techniques of social control, which are being used—in ways both effective and dangerous—by ‘influence professionals.’ Meanwhile, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Sleep-deprived, overweight and looking to improve themselves, overloaded with often frightening images and information; anxious about the current economic decline, climate change, and government corruption on all levels. People are more susceptible than ever to charismatic figures who offer simple, black v. white, us v. them, good v. evil, formulaic solutions. These factors—the rise of the Internet; increasingly sophisticated knowledge about how to influence and manipulate others; and the growing vulnerabilities of people across the planet—make for a dangerous, potentially devastating combination.

The Internet is now the primary vehicle for recruitment and indoctrination. It is also a means for spreading sophisticated information about social psychology, hypnosis, and other techniques of social control, which are being used—in ways both effective and dangerous—by ‘influence professionals.’ Meanwhile, people are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Sleep-deprived, overweight and looking to improve themselves, overloaded with often frightening images and information; anxious about the current economic decline, climate change, and government corruption on all levels. People are more susceptible than ever to charismatic figures who offer simple, black v. white, us v. them, good v. evil, formulaic solutions. These factors—the rise of the Internet; increasingly sophisticated knowledge about how to influence and manipulate others; and the growing vulnerabilities of people across the planet—make for a dangerous, potentially devastating combination.

People are just tribalizing again. People thought that the internet would open us up into one world community, the goal of the globalists. Human nature takes over once again, and people are now free to consort with like minded individuals as they have always done. Us vs them is the basis of all human thought and the driving force in human nature. I think this is ultimately a good thing.

But perhaps this is another conversation for another place in time. Feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss or we could start a new thread. Very interesting subject. I hope you enjoy the book!

I've been reading some Raymond Williams as of late, a fantastic critic, eventhough he was a Marxist. I haven't gotten yet to where he comments on identity politics but read some stuff on cultural materialism.

I like this quote from him: "The human crisis is always a crisis of understanding: what we genuinely understand we can do."

« Last Edit: December 02, 2012, 03:58:27 AM by Achronos »

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“There is your brother, naked, crying, and you stand there confused over the choice of an attractive floor covering.”

Just ordered: Christianity - Lineaments of a Sacred Tradition, by Philip Sherrard.

Excited.

Hope you enjoy it more than I enjoyed the book by him

Did you already post your thoughts on Human Image: World Image? I'd be interested to read them.

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But it had not been in Tess's power - nor is it in anybody's power - to feel the whole truth of golden opinions while it is possible to profit by them. She - and how many more - might have ironically said to God with Saint Augustine, "Thou hast counselled a better course than thou hast permitted."

It is a great work despite its RC bias. It is very informative and witty. I was almost dying of laughter when I read this passage:

"Mr. Skarlatos Byzantios has composed a very useful Greek- French lexicon. When he comes to the preposition ἐξ, one example of its use at once occurs to him, and he illustrates the fact that it takes the genitive by this sentence: "Τὸ ἂγιου Πνεῦμα ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ μόνου τοῦ Πατρός" which he proceeds to translate for the Western student by informing him, "le Saint-Esprit procede du Pere seul." (p. 373)

« Last Edit: December 03, 2012, 03:37:25 PM by Cyrillic »

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That is the land of lost content, I see it shining plain, The happy highways where I went And cannot come again.-A.E. Housman

Lots of interesting stuff in there. The author suggests, for example, that the Lenten Fast (or at least our fasting on the day of Passover) is partly for the sake of the Jews. We fast and pray that God may turn them around from the disbelief that led them to crucify Christ on that day.

I'm going to participate in a reading program at another site, but I'm not sure what to do. It's sort of like a new years resolution, only with books, and you get to choose how you want to set it up. For instance, you can read 1 book per week, or 1 book for each letter of the alphabet, or all the books by a particular author, etc. Any thoughts on what I could do? I want something challenging and enjoyable, but which won't be too much considering I'll also have reading from full-time college work.

Just ordered: Christianity - Lineaments of a Sacred Tradition, by Philip Sherrard.

Excited.

Hope you enjoy it more than I enjoyed the book by him

I'd say that I am! I'm just over a third of the way through, and I've been underlining on nearly every page. Whether one agrees with all of his premises or not, it makes for fascinating reading. Highly recommendable.

But it had not been in Tess's power - nor is it in anybody's power - to feel the whole truth of golden opinions while it is possible to profit by them. She - and how many more - might have ironically said to God with Saint Augustine, "Thou hast counselled a better course than thou hast permitted."

Yes, in the truest sense of the word. I have no intention, however, of becoming a member of the Society (which became nothing short of ridiculous following H.P.B.'s death). You can PM me if you want (so as not to derail the thread).

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Note : Many of my posts (especially the ones antedating late 2012) do not reflect charity, tact, or even views I presently hold. Please forgive me for any antagonism I have caused.

Right now, I'm reading:For the Life of the World by Fr. Alexander SchmemannThe Way of the Ascetics Tito CollianderGlories of Czestochowa and Jasna Gora. A collection of miracles attributed to the Mother of God in Czestochowa, Poland.

I'm going to do a program of reading through all the works of Albert Camus and taking notes. I expect a treasure trove of psychological and philosophical insights. (<-- I'm serious, but I figured that'd make you laugh 'norm )

If you will, you can become all flame.Extra caritatem nulla salus.In order to become whole, take the "I" out of "holiness". सर्वभूतहितἌνω σχῶμεν τὰς καρδίας"Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is." -- Mohandas GandhiY dduw bo'r diolch.

If you are speaking of him, I believe the main gist of the book is that the idea of what a "planet" is has changed throughout history. I would assume by this that he will conclude that what happened with Pluto several years ago is perfectly normal and acceptable. But I could be wrong.

Of his works of fiction, The Stranger is a short work and somewhat simple, and The Plague is a bit longer and more drawn out (in a good way). Others (and plays) are not quite as good. Fwiw I preferred The Stranger of the above two. The Myth of Sisyphus is his main non-fiction work, and details his ideas about what might be called absurdism.

Of his works of fiction, The Stranger is a short work and somewhat simple, and The Plague is a bit longer and more drawn out (in a good way). Others (and plays) are not quite as good. Fwiw I preferred The Stranger of the above two. The Myth of Sisyphus is his main non-fiction work, and details his ideas about what might be called absurdism.

Thanks for the info. I just realized that I did read The Stranger waaay back when I was in high school. I can't remember much about it, though. Anyway, I just placed a hold on The Plague because my library has a copy. Cheers!